The Indian hockey players, training at a camp in Balewadi for the World Cup to be held in Delhi in February-March, have reportedly threatened to stop the preparations from January 8 if Hockey India doesn’t give them the cash rewards they were promised after the bronze medal in the Champions Challenge tournament in Salta, Argentina, last month.
The players have been demanding fixed monthly salaries for quite some time and received an assurance of cash incentives against results from Hockey India ahead of the eight-nation tournament that concluded on December 14.
“When the team found out that the Pakistan federation gives its players Rs 50,000 per month, they approached HI before the Champions Challenge tournament and asked them for a monthly salary or at least incentives after victory. HI agreed to do so and sent a memorandum in this regard,” sources in the team said.
‘January 8 deadline’
“However, even after their bronze medal performance they did not receive any such incentive. Hence they have given a deadline of the January 8, by which they should receive the promised incentives or they will stop training,” they added.
The sources said that a meeting that had taken place on Saturday at Suresh Kalmadi’s residence, with the Indian Olympic Association chief, Hockey India president AK Mattoo and chief coach Jose Brasa discussing the issue. However, a statement by the Maharashtra Hockey Association later said the meeting was to discuss “the nourishment requirement and material software for the team”.
HI president Mattoo said the players will get the promised amount of money. “We will give (the players) an incentive. There is no question of not paying them the money,” he told The Sunday Express.